#Purple heart tree wood skin#
#Purple heart tree wood full#

Is Purple Heart Wood Good For Cutting Boards? We found a video for you that will show the process of creating that dining room table top from raw slabs of purple heart wood with a live edge. Speaking of purple heart wood and its beauty, imagine a wide slab of the wood, or a few slaps joined, live edge, formed into a dining room table. Those who have a wood allergy should probably avoid working with purple heart wood, although they can certainly enjoy its beauty in furniture, flooring, cabinet, and inlay work.

#Purple heart tree wood skin#

Reactions might include eye and skin irritations and some reported cases of nausea, but purple heart wood is not likely to cause any severe reactions. The extractions from purple heart wood, which we mentioned earlier, can irritate sensitive skin. However, it is not known to be dangerous, and although it might cause some reaction in a small percentage of people and animals, it is not poisonous. Questions often asked about purple wood include its toxicity and whether it is safe to use in some applications. It is also challenging to work with, and the extracts from purple heart that contribute to its heartiness to withstand rainforest weather and pests are thick and gummy, and can adversely affect your woodworking tools. If you wish to work with purple heart, expect to pay upwards of $14 per board foot. Harvesting in the rainforests is highly regulated, and transporting over such a long distance contributes to its high price. While none of the 23 varieties of the species are on the endangered list, the harvesting of purple heart, teak, and mahogany does contribute to the destruction of those forests.Īlthough purple heart wood is available in the US, it is expensive. They grow in the endangered rainforests of Central and South America. Purple heart trees are large, often growing as tall as 160 feet and with a diameter of up to 5 feet. Cedar would seem the more appropriate choice. However, it’s an exotic wood and expensive, and since all wood eventually succumbs to the elements and would require ongoing care, it would seem such a waste to use it for any outdoor use. It is also water-resistant, and you will see it used sometimes as decking on more upscale boats. It is resistant to decay and insect attacks. Woodworking hobbyists use purple heart wood in the making of bowls and jewelry boxes. It is a favorite in turnery, cabinetry, flooring (as mentioned earlier), and furniture. It’s an extremely strong and durable wood and prized especially for its use in fine inlay work on musical instruments. The characteristics that set it apart from other exotic woods are its striking grain pattern and a unique color rarely found in other woods from which its name is derived. It grows natively in the countries between Mexico and Brazil. Maybe you’ve seen it used in flooring, a dark, eggplant shade, as an accent wood alongside a lighter color grain. We all have seen, at least, furniture from each of these woods and perhaps even worked with one or more of them in our woodworking shop.Īmaranth, more commonly known as purple heart (sometimes written as one-word purpleheart), among exotic woods, is a particularly beautiful wood. The grain of red oak, the warmth of Brazilian mahogany, the endurance of teak, and the richness of sugar maple all come to mind.

#Purple heart tree wood full#

Shrinkage: Radial: 3.8%, Tangential: 6.4%, Volumetric: 10.6%, T/R Ratio: 1.The world is full of beautiful woods. This color-shift can be slowed and minimized by using a UV inhibiting finish on the wood.ĭistribution: Central and South America (from Mexico down to southern Brazil) With further age and exposure to UV light, the wood becomes a dark brown with a hint of purple. Upon exposure the wood becomes a deeper eggplant purple.

When freshly cut the heartwood of Purple heart is a dull grayish/purplish brown. Purple Heart (Peltogyne) Pen Blanks TW-WB008-PEĢ0 x 20 x 130mm Very dense Cut from Heart Wood this polishes up a dream